Combination toggle and cam clamp



April 13, 1948. H. H. MERRIMAN I 2,439,483

COMBINATION TOGGLE AND CAN CLAMP Filed Sept. 9, 1944 awe/whom HENFLH' H. MERR/M/ /N ZZWMJQ M Patented Apr. 13,1948

COMBINATION TOGGLE AND oAM CLAMP Henry ,H. Merriman, Jackson, Mich, assignor' to Harry D. trustee Boardman, Jackson, Mich; w as 1 Application September 9, reel, Serial No. 553,304

the advantages of cam,toggle and screw clamps have been embodied into a single improved structure.

Another object is to provide a quick-acting toggle clamp having adjustable take-up to compensate for wear and variation in stock sizes and gauges.

A further object of the invention is to provide a quick acting toggle clamp in which the toggle is closed with cam action and adjusted through a screw.

These and other objects and advantages residing in the present invention will be more fully disclosed and set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawing,

Fig, 1 is a side elevational view of the present invention, and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the present invention.

In the illustrated form of the invention; the base H] of the clamping device has spaced upright ears [2 and I4. The clamping member l6 car- 4Claims. (Cl. 144290) ries the pressure pad l8 of suitable construction adapted to hold the work piece 20 rigidly against the surface 22. The member 5 is pivotally sup ported between the uprights l2 and I4 through a suitable shoulder rivet 24.

The operating structure for the clamp member Hi consists of a toggle, preferably fabricated from a pair of similar sheet metal stampings 26 and 28 constituting the upper toggle part, which are held in spaced relation and pivotally connected at their upper ends to the members I6 through a pin 30. The stampings 26 and 28 are held in spaced relation by the lower toggle part 32, which is connected for pivotal movement to the parts and 28 through the pin 34. The lower end of the toggle part 32 is positioned between the uprights l2 and I4 and supported for pivotal movement upon a pin 36.

The operating and adjustment structure comprises a threaded bolt 38 supported for swinging movement from the member l6 supported for pivotal movement upon a pin 40. Supported for free sliding movement upon the bolt 38 is a cam follower 4| having a shank portion 42 provided with a bore through which the bolt 38 extends, and a head portion 44 provided with extensions 46 adapted to ride along the cam surfaces 48 of the stampings 26 and 28. Threaded upon the outer end of the threaded shank 38 is a nut 50 in the form of a handle grip which provides an adjusttable abutment or stop at 52 for the cam follower M.

The operationandadjustmentpf the clamping member it is asfollows: With the clamping member It in its clamped position, as shown in full line in Fig. 1, the operator lifts up on the handle St to remove the same from the high points 55 of the cam 48 to permit the toggle to collapse and at the same time pulls rearwardly, which throws the clamping member l6 upwardly and the associated parts into the position shown in dotted outline in Fig. l. To again clamp the work piece 23, the operator pushes forwardly on the handle which swings the clamping member l8 downwardly into contact with the work piece 20. A downward movement is then applied to the handle 50, swinging the same clockwise about the pin 40. This downward movement causes the cam follower 4| to ride over the cam 48 to the locking portion 54 This action will move the toggle defined by the parts 25, 28 and 32 inwardly to rigidly force the clamping member l6 against the work piece 20. Should additional clamping action be desired, or in the event there are variations in the thickness or gauge of the work piece 20, by rotating the wrist the operator will be able to thread the handle 56 further down upon the stud 38 thus changing the position of the abutment 52 against which the thrust of the follower 4! is directed. In practice an exceedingly rapid and dependable clamping of the work piece can be accomplished by the operator forcing the handle 50 forwardly, then downwardly, with a slight twist of the wrist, with the parts in the position shown in full outline in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing description it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have provided a quick acting clamp which may be readily thrown from full open to full closed position through forward and rearward movements upon the handle 5! At the same time the clamping action is developed through a toggle with the applied force being along the cam surface Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim is:

1. A clamping device comprising a clamp member, means supporting said clamping member for pivotal movement, a fixed part, a toggle joint connected at one end to said fixed part and at the other end to said clamping member, a cam surface upon said toggle joint, toggle extending means connected at one side of said toggle, and a follower associated with said toggle extending 3 means and said cam surface on the opposite side of said toggle.

2. A clamping device comprising a work engaging clamping member, an operating member, a toggle joint connected at one end to said clamping member, fixed means to which said toggle joint is connectedatitswothenend, ca cam surface upon said togg'ieand an adjustableifollowerupon said operating member for coacting with said cam surface to extend said toggle to operate said work engaging member.

3. A clamping device of the characterdescribeftl comprising a base, a Work engaging member'p'iv otally supported from said bait-Senna toggletioint pivotally supported at one :end 1120 .said these and at the opposite end to said work engaging member, an operating handle pivoted at-one end to said work engaging member, a cam suffaceupon said toggle joint, a cam follower upon naid--opierating handle adapted to engage with said cam surface to extendsaid to gle, and means .tor ,ad-

' justing saidfollower relative to said-cammurface.

4. A clamping device comprising a clamping member, a fixed part tsupportingpsaid clamping member iorpivotal movement, a-.;t0gg1e ointiconnected at one end to said fixed part and at the other end to said clamping member, a cam surface upon said toggle joint, operating means associated with said toggle joint to move said clamping member in a clamping direction and in a releasing direction, and an adjustable fol- .ilower assopiated vwith saidoperating means and L MaE fibleBWithsaid cam vsurface.

HENRY H. MERRIMAN.

REFERENCES CITED rmriznnf sTATns PATENTS Number :Name Date 7 737,52? Teilborg Aug. 25, 1903 "8483036 Kruger Mar. '26, 1907 :8fI-9f547 Holter Feb. 18, 1908 2,236,439 McKenna; May 25, 1941 2,337,358 o1 n,. Aug. 24,1943

FoRErGmP mENTs Number Country Date GreatgBritain "Febra'z, 1891i 

